Haverhill students help to make history at research park

Loren Taylor with staff and students from Castle Manor Academy beside the road she named

Jack Tappin

Students who have left their mark in history at Haverhill Research Park saw their efforts recognised with a ceremony this week.

Kate Lawes, from Samuel Ward Academy, picked the contents to be included in the time capsule which will be buried on the £100 million site after her choices won a school competition to select what will be in the capsule.

Kate Lawes and fellow Samuel Ward Academy students and teachers with the time capsule she chose the contents for

The time capsule was designed to tell future generations about the life of young people in Haverhill in the 21st Century, with entries judged on creativity and rationale.

Kate based her five items around the five senses, with a badge for Churchill Free School (touch), a sheet of music and leaflet for Haverhill Arts Centre (sound), a glow stick with tag for the fireworks display and late night shopping (sight), a dried flower with a picture of the High Street (smell) and finally an empty tin of beans with a Foodbank picture (taste).

“It’s good to know someone will one day dig this up and that I have given them a view into what life was like,” said Kate.

Kate Lawes and fellow Samuel Ward Academy students and teachers with the time capsule she chose the contents for

“I have lived here for a long time so it’s nice to be giving something back to the community for future generations.”

Helen Chaplin, a member of the research park’s marketing team, said: “Today is a special one for Kate and we are delighted that as the winner she came up with such a creative methodology for the items she has put in the time capsule which are very interesting.

“Should the capsule be dug up sometime in the future it will provide a fascinating piece of archaeology for future mankind to discover what life was like for a young person living in Haverhill in the 21st Century.

“It is also a milestone for the park as preparations for full-scale marketing of the park in 2014 gather pace,”

Loren’s name for the road was chosen as she impressed judges by taking into account the are’s geography.

“The road is where the three counties Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire meet,” she said.

“It is important that we have a connection with the people of the surrounding counties because it creates more job opportunities.”

Ms Chaplin added: “Today is a special one for Loren, there can’t be many young people who are responsible for naming a road which could remain in place for hundreds of years – she’s responsible for creating a bit of history in Haverhill and we are delighted to give her the opportunity to unveil the new road sign.

“It is also a milestone for the park as preparations for full-scale marketing of the park gather pace.”